Cotton chopper



May 6, 1941/. R l.. HucKEBA COTTON CHOPPER Filed Sept. 9, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTO R N EYS May 6, 1941. R. L HUCKEIBAy 2,241,133

COTTON CHOPPER Filed Sept. 9, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTCR ATTOR N EYSR. L.`HUCKEBA COTTON CHOPPER May 6, 1941.

Filed sept. 9, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 Q2@ a Vw., ww@ Rm, mm. um. vm.0.,

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Patented May (i, i941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COTTON CHOPPER.

Robert Lee Huckeba, Aragon, Ga. i

Application September 9, 1940, Serial No. 356,053

6 Claims.

This invention relates to cotton choppers and has for an object toprovide a cotton chopper having a carriage which is adjustablelongitudinally of the frame to permit the chopping hoes being manuallyadjusted to operate on irregularly located plants in the row along whichthe cotton chopper is being propelled.

A further object is to provide a cotton chopper having a cradle, whichcarries the operating mechanism, adjustable vertically on the carriagefor raising and lowering the chopping' hoes a desired distance above theground.

A further object is to provide a cotton chopper having spring operatedwalking beams controlled by cams which are preferably rotated at aveto-one ratio relative to the speed oi the ground Wheels, both walkingbeams co-acting in swinging the chopping hoes laterally, rst from oneside of the machine and then from the other side of the machine to chopout pre-determined plants.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will beformed of a few strong, simple and durable parts,w which will beinexpensive to manufacture, and which Will not easily get out of order.1

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter fullydescribed and claimed, it being understood that variousmodifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specication:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cotton chopper constructed inaccordance with the invention.

FigureZ is a cross sectional view of the cotton chopper taken on theline 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the cotton chopper with parts removed.v

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cotton chopper taken onthe line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the cotton chopper with the cradle inraised position.

Figure 6 is a detail cross sectional View taken on the line 6-6 ofFigure 4 and showing the yielding locking means for holding the rearchopping hoe at the end of the edge cutting stroke.

Figure 7 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 1-1 ofFigure 6.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing one walking beam iny position onits cam just before dropping onto the low side of the cam to permit thecontrolling spring to actuate the walking beam.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing rela tive positionsoi bothwalking beams on their cams.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of bothwalking beams at a position about ninety degrees angular advance on thecams from that shown in Figure 9.

vReferring now to the drawings in which like lcharacters of referencedesignate similar parts in the various views, I!) designates a frame onwhich is mounted an internal combustion engine Il, the frame beingsupported upon rear and iront ground wheels l2 and I3, the latter beingdirigible and turned by steering mechanism i4 controlled by a hand wheell5 disposed in front of the operators seat i6, these being conventionaltractor parts.

In carrying out the invention a substantially rectangular carriage isslidably mounted on the frame IU and at the rear end is provided on oneside with a pin I8, best shown in Figure l, which is received in a slotI9 formed in the end of a bell crank lever 20 which is pivoted at itselbow as shown at 2| on the frame and terminates in a grip 22 near theoperators seat. A latch 23 is carried by the lever and engages a rack 24carried by the frame I0. Forward or rearward movement of the lever 2Bslides the carriage on the frame.

As best shown in Figure 2 the frame l0 and carriage I'l are formed ofchannel metal. The open'side of the channel metal of the frame is turnedlaterally while the open side of the channel metal of the carriage isturned downwardly. A track 25 is formed by raised ribs on the frame anda plurality of grooved rollers 26, preferably three on each side, asshown in Figure 4, are disposed on respective horizontal shafts Z1,secured to the channel metal of the carriage, and engage the track forslidably supporting the carriage on the frame.

A cradle 28 is supported on the carriage, as best shown in Figure 2, andcarries the operating mechanism for theV chopping hoes. As best shown inFigure 4, the carriage is provided at the four corners with posts 29which are hollow to provide guides for cradle elevating racks 30. Asbest shown in Figures 3 and 4, each post is provided with a pair ofperforated ears 3| to receive a respective end of a transverselydisposed shaft 32, there being pinions 33 iixed to the shafts betweenthe ears. There are two of shown at El.

the shafts 32, one at the front and one at the rear of the machine andboth shafts are provided at one end with sprocket gears 34. As bestshown in Figure 1, an endless sprocket chain 35 is engaged over thegears. The rear shaft 32 is provided with a cradle elevating wheel 36.When theoperator turns the wheel 36, both shafts 32 will be turned toelevate the racks 30 which latter are bolted to the cradle as shown at31 in Figures 4. and 5.

The weight of the cradle is counterbalanced by tWo counterbalancingWeights 38, best shown in Figure l, each having a cable 39 trained overa rroller lt carried by a shaft il which is journaled in a bearing i2carried by a respective end bar #i3 which connects the upper endsl ofthe guide posts 25. The free Vend-s of the cables are conr nected to theends of the cradle, as best shown in Figure 5, preferably by an eye M onthe cable engaged over a pin 45 on the cradle.

There are two chopping hoes 155, each Ahaving opposite longitudinalV-shaped cutting edges 41, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. A handle 48is secured to the upper face of each hoe at the center thereof andprojects upwardly through a respective opening 49 in the bottom of thecradle. The handle terminates at the upper end in Va tubular sleeve5i).4 The'tubular sleeves of the handles are xed to a hoe shaft 5l, bestshown in Figure 4, near the ends thereof so that when the of plants tochop out pre-determined plants.

The ends of the hoe shaft are journaled in bearing brackets 52 which aremounted on the'bottom of the cradle.

the bottom of the housing and bearing against a pressure plate 1I uponwhich the bottom of the spring is supported.

When one of the springs expands, the front end of the respective walkingbeam is raised and the rear end lowered to pull on the respective strap56 and quickly snap both chopping hoes through a pendulum-like arc as aunit across the row of plants from which pre-determined plants are to bechopped off. The release of the springs alternately is timed by a pairof cams 12 arranged underneath respective Walking beams Vand fixed to acam shaft 13 which is journaled in bearings 14, best shown in Figure 4,disposed on the bottom of the cradle 28. The cams engage triangularshoesI 15 disposed upon the underneath faces of the walking beams on theopposite side of the pivots of the Walking beams from the shoes 69.

Each walking beam shoe 15 drops vertically one-half the diameter of itscam from the high For oscillating the hoe shaft an oscillating arm f 53,best shown in Figures 3 and 5, is x'ed to the hoe shaft 53 and extendsupwardly `in the plane of the hoe handles '43.- The upper end lof thearm is bifurcated and the branches terminate in alined eyes 54, bestshown in Figure 3, through Which a pin 55 is passed to secure the 'endsof straps 56 to the `oscillating arm. The straps 56 extend transverselyacross the vcradle and have intertting perforated ears 51 and 58 whichreceive the pin 55, the outer ends ofthe straps being engaged over-respective pulleys, best shown in Figure 4, each of which is secured toa respective shaft 53 which is mounted in bearings 59 disposed Yon theupper end of abracket VEll which is bolted to the bottom of the cradleas cured to a respective walking `beam 62 by a pin 53 so that when thewalking beams are vactuated one strap will be pulled and theotherjslacked off to swing the oscillating arm.

There are two walking beams 62 disposed longitudinally of the cradle atrespective opposite sides thereof, as best shown in'Figures 3 and 5.

Each walking beam is pivoted near Vone end, as best shown in Figure 4,by a pivot 'pin 6'# 'en'- gaged in a bearing bracket 65, best shown inFigure 2, which is bolted to the cradle as shown at 65.

Each walking beam is actuated on its working stroke by a helical spring61, best shown in Figure 5, which is disposed in a housing 68 carried bythe cradie 28 and located `under the front end of the walking beam. Thespring bears against ashoe 69 on the underneath face of the walkingbeam. The tension of the spring is adjusted by an adjusting screw 10'engaged through The outer end'of the strap is seside of the cam ontothe low side of the cam once during each revolution of the cam. The lowsides of both cams are disposed oppositely to each other so that whenthe shoe of one walking beam is riding on the high side of its cam theshoe of the other Walking beam will be riding on the low side of itscam. When the shoe of one walking beam drops from the high side onto thelow side of the cam the controlling spring of that walking beam,compressed by the walking beam while the shoe of the walking beam wasriding on the high side of the cam, is freed, and quickly expands toraise the frontend of the walking beam and lower the rear end of theWalking beam thereby pulling the respective strap 56 to rock theoscillatedV arm 53 and swing both chopping hoesf as a unit across therow of plants.V Meanwhile, the shoe of the mating Walking beam is ridingvon the high side of its cam and holding the respective strap 56 slackas shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 to permit the actuation of thechopping hoes just described.

To prevent the chopping hoes from gravitating from their vlimit ofstroke, as best shown in Figure 7, the sleeve 50 of the rearmost hoeisprovided With a recessed lug 1B carrying a spring- "pressed detent 11which enters a socket 18,

yformed in a projection 13 on the rear bearing bracket 52 of the hoeshaft 5l, at the limit of stroke jof the hoe. The detent holds both hoesquiescent, since Yboth are attached to a common 'shaft 5I, untilrotaticnof the 'cams releases Ithe spring of a walking beam to swingboth hoes through an arc back across the row of plants.

Timing of the actuation of the Waiking beams vis 'accomplished Aby agear trainy designated in general `by the numeral Bilv "and best shownin Figures 1 and 3, the gear at the front end of the train being securedto the cam shaft 1'3. The gears of the gear train are secured torespective stub shafts 8| carried by a bar 82 which ispivotally' mountedat the front Ve'nd on the camshaft and which is pivotally connected atthe 'rearen'd to an inclined lever 83 which is pivoted on the Aaxle 84Aof the rear ground wheels, as best shown inFigure 1. The final gear of'the Igear Ytrain meshes with al gear y[85 which is integralwith a jByvirtue of the pivotal mounting of the gear arms 82 and 83 the rear gearof the gear train will remain meshed with the driving gear 85 duringvertical adjustment of the cradle.

Conventional scrapers 88 are secured to the rear end of the frame illand conventional scrapers 89 are secured to the front dirigiblestructure of the machine.

Preferably the ratio of the gear train to the driving gear B isone-to-iive so that for every ten-foot advance of the machine thechopping hoes will be actuated each two feet .to chop out plants sincethe camsl will be rotated through ve complete revolutions while thedriving gear is making one complete revolution. In the event some of theplants in the row have died the operator need only actuate the carriagecontrolling lever 20 to move the carriage forwardly or rearwardly andthus re-arrange the chopping hoes to compensate for this irregularity,

To cushion the shock of the descending free ends of the walking beamsrubber bumpers 90, best shown in Figure 4, are secured in metal sockets9! carried by the cradle.

Since the operation of the parts has been described as the descriptionof the parts progressed,

it is thought the invention will be fully understood without furtherexplanation.

What is claimed is:

l. In a cotton chopper, the combination with a tractor having a frame,of a carriage slidably mounted on the frame, means for holding thecarriage at adjusted positions of its sliding movement on the frame, acradle mounted for vertical adjustment on the carriage, a chopping hoehaving a handle projecting upwardly through the frame and through thecarriage, means carried by the cradle and connected to the handle forswinging the hoe pendulum-like in an arc across a row of plants fromwhich selected plants are to be chopped, and means for timing theactuation of the oscillating means actuated by a rotating part of thetractor.

2. In a cotton chopper, the combination with a tractor having a frame,of a carriage slidably mounted on the frame, means for holding thecarriage at adjusted positions of its sliding movement on the frame, acradle mounted for vertical adjustment on the carriage, a chopping hoehaving a handle projecting upwardly through the frame and through thecarriage, an oscillating lever connected to the hoe for actuating thehoe, a pair of walking beams on the cradle, compression springs foractuating the walking beams, cams alternately releasing the walkingbeams to be moved by their springs, and straps connected to theoscillating lever and to the walking beams adapted to be alternatelypulled laterally to actuate the oscillating lever to actuate the hoe.

3. In a cotton chopper, the combination with a tractor having a frame,of a carriage slidably mounted on the frame, guide posts rising from thecarriage, a cradle on the carriage, racks connected to the cradleengaged with the guide posts, pinions carried by the posts engaging theracks, means for driving the pinions to raise and lower the racks formounting the cradle for vertical adjustment on the carriage, a choppinghoe having a handle projecting upwardly through the frame and throughthe carriage, means carried by the cradle and connected to the handlefor swinging the hoe pendulum-like in an arc across a row of plants fromwhich selected plants are to be chopped, and means for timing theactuation of the oscillating means actuated by a rotating part of thetractor.

4. In a cotton chopper, the combination with a tractor having a frame,of a carriage slidably mounted on the frame, guide posts rising from thecarriage, a cradle on thc carriage, racks connected to the cradleengaged with the guide posts, pinions carried by the posts engaging theracks, means for rotating the pinions to raise and lower the racks formoving the cradle vertically on the carriage, a chopping hoe having ahandle projecting upwardly through the frame and through the carriage,an oscillating lever connected to the hoe for actuating the hoe, a pairof walking beams on the cradle, compression springs for actuating thewalking beams, cams alternately releasing the walking beams to be movedby their springs, and straps connected to the oscillating lever and tothe walking beams adapted to be alternately pulled laterally to actuatethe oscillating lever.

5. In a cotton chopper the combination with a tractor having a frame, ofa carriage superposed on the frame, a track on the frame, groovedrollers on. the carriage engaging the track for slidably mounting thecarriage longitudinally of the frame, a bell crank lever connected tothe carriage for adjusting the carriage longitudinally of the frame,latching means between the bell crank lever and frame for holding thecarriage in adjusted positions, a cradle mounted for vertical adjustmenton the carriage, a chopping hoe having a handle projecting upwardlythrough the frame and through the carriage, means carried by the cradlean-d connected to the handle for swinging the hoe pendulum-like in anarc across a row of plants from which selected plants are to be chopped,and means for timing the actuation by the oscillating means actuated bya rotating part of the tractor.

6. In a cotton chopper, the combination with a tractor having a frame,of a carriage slidably mounted on the frame, guide posts rising from thecarriage, a cradle on the carriage, racks connected to the cradleengaged with the guide posts, rotatable pinions engaging the racks formoving the cradle vertically on the carriage, front and rear cross barsconnecting the tops of the posts together, pulleys on the cross bars,counter-balancing weights having cables trained over said pulleys andconnected to the cradle, a manually operable chain drive for rotatingthe pinions, a chopping hoe having a handle projecting upwardly throughthe frame and through the carriage, means carried by the cradle andconnected to the handle for swinging the hoe pendulumlike in an arcacross a row of plants from which selected plants are to be chopped, andmeans for timing the actuation of the oscillating means actuated by arotating part of the tractor.

ROBERT LEE HUCKEBA.

